Korean President Considers Apologizing to North Korea
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said he is considering apologizing to Pyongyang for cross-border provocations ordered by his predecessor.
Lee Jae-myung stated on Wednesday that former President Yoon Suk-yeol was indicted last month for ordering drones to fly over North Korea carrying propaganda leaflets, with prosecutors stating the move aimed to escalate tensions and boost his political support. Lee Jae-myung said on Wednesday that he believes it is necessary to apologize for this.
Seoul made these remarks as Yoon Suk-yeol marked the first anniversary of declaring a state of emergency. The initial intent of Yoon Suk-yeol's emergency declaration was similar, but it resulted in a serious crisis in South Korea.
Since becoming president, Lee Jae-myung has sought dialogue with Pyongyang, but so far, his proposals have been ignored by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
At a press conference in Seoul, Lee Jae-myung said, "I feel I should apologize, but I hesitate to say it out loud."
He added, "I am worried that if I do so, it might be used as material for ideological struggles or I could be accused of being pro-North Korea."
North Korea has accused the Yoon Suk-yeol government of using drones three times in October 2024 to spread propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang.
South Korean media reported on Monday that during the previous government's term, the military also released balloons carrying propaganda leaflets near the border with South Korea.
Deep Divides
Lee Jae-myung made these remarks as Yoon Suk-yeol marked the anniversary of attempting to implement the emergency decree.
The decree plunged South Korea into an unprecedented crisis, with protesters and lawmakers flooding the National Assembly, forcing the assembly to vote against the decree.
The Supreme Court quickly declared the bill unconstitutional.
Yoon Suk-yeol was then impeached and removed from office, and is currently imprisoned awaiting trial on charges of rebellion and other accusations stemming from the failure of his emergency decree.
Nevertheless, there remains a deep divide within South Korean society regarding Yoon Suk-yeol's actions, with some people angry at his behavior, while others support his hardline stance toward North Korea, claiming that South Korea's democracy is under attack by his political opponents.
Wednesday was the anniversary of the attempt to implement the emergency decree, and protests were held in Seoul.
Dialogue
After Yoon Suk-yeol's downfall in April, progressive figure Lee Jae-myung won the early presidential election. He told reporters that he hopes to repair relations with Pyongyang.
Since taking office in June, he has taken a series of measures to ease tensions, including dismantling propaganda speakers along the border.
On Tuesday, Seoul passed a law banning activists from releasing balloons carrying propaganda leaflets to North Korea.
However, North Korea has so far rejected Lee Jae-myung's efforts, with Kim Jong-un stating that his government has no interest in dialogue.
Despite this, the South Korean president said he will continue to persist. He suggested suspending regular joint military exercises with the United States (which Pyongyang views as provocative), which could serve as one way to encourage North Korea to resume dialogue.
Lee Jae-myung also expressed hope that US President Donald Trump - "a realist, pragmatist, and negotiator who respects his counterparts" - could help persuade North Korea, saying that Pyongyang seems to place more importance on Washington than Seoul.
Source: Al Jazeera
Original: toutiao.com/article/1850546315548684/
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